ORIGIN

20 Years Parked: 1966 Lotus Cortina Mk.I

This left hand drive 1966 Cortina Mk.I (VIN BA74EE50024) is said be a genuine Lotus and two-owner car that has been in storage for 20 years. The seller adds that the car is complete other than the missing grill, and new tires were installed to facilitate rolling. He says that his father was the second owner. The photos show rust along the rockers and front shock towers. Find it here on eBay in Parish, New York. Special thanks to BaT reader Brian M. for this submission!

The seller states that there is some rust on the front towers and wheel wells, but rust can also be seen along the rockers and front fenders behind the lights. While the required rust repairs may not be for the timid, more has been done with less, as long as any new owner has an abundance of ability and/or funding to complete the task. In the plus column, the seller notes the glass is all in good condition and the trim appears complete albeit without the grill.

The interior also appears complete, though the seller states that the dash is cracked and the wood steering wheel is dried out and splitting. The headliner is also done though the seats appear decent and all the gauges are said to be in good condition. Regardless of whether the car will be restored to original condition or turned into a vintage racer, some of the interior at least appears useable and salvageable.

No information is given about the mechanical condition or history of the car. Given the appearance of the motor and the fact that it has been sitting for 20 years, it is safe to assume that this car will need substantial mechanical restoration. Close-up shots of those fender tags would be nice, too.

It will be interesting to see if this complete though rusty Lotus-Cortina will be restored to its original condition or turned into a vintage racer. Either way, these are scarce cars in left hand drive, and it is good to see that another long buried and slumbering example will see the light of day again.